Banding machine and method



Dec. 17, 1968 J. M. CICCONE BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 17, 1961 INVENTOR Jack M. C/cca/vE BY @M 7 #72 ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 J. M. ClCCONE BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 17, 1961 R O T N 2 CA A4. (woo 6 ATTO .NEYS

Dec. 17, 1968 J. M. CICCONE 3,416,286 BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheefs-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 17, 1961 H'LVENTOR M. C'mcwvs ATTQRNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 .1. M. CICCONE 3,416,286

BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed April 17, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNV OR (ha/z M. C'ICCO/VE ATTORNEYS ea. 17, 1968 J. M. CICCONE BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 17, 1961 lIIIIIII/III E W W. WM h w TM A K C H, w

J. M. CICCONE BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD Dec. 17, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed April 17, 1961 T1 7- /95 202 203 ms lllllul I Illln M T H H II H H H q IIII lh VENTOR Jncw A l. U/c'co/ve BY v ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 J. M. CICCONE BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed April 17, 1961 m Fr United States Patent Ofice 3,416,286 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 3,416,286 BANDING MACHINE AND METHOD .Iack M. Ciccone, Westbury, N.Y., assignor to F. L- Smithe Machine Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. No. 103,473, Apr. 17, 1961, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 824,501, July 2, 1959. This application June 22, 1966, Ser. No. 559,689

27 Claims. (Cl. 53-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Envelope making, stacking and banding machinery are provided wherein from the delivery end of an envelope making machine, envelopes are advanced by a slotted wheel mechanism in fiat spaced relationship; means are provided to accumulate the envelopes with their edges contacting an aligned surface; after a predetermined number of envelopes have accumulated, a pusher element moves the accumulated stack of envelopes laterally to a banding station where further pusher means push the stack broadside through the banding mechanism.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 103,473, filed Apr. 17, 1961, now abandoned, which application was itself a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 824,501, filed July 2, 1959, now abandoned.

This invention relates in general to envelope making machines and in particular to a new and useful device for stacking the finished envelope blanks in stacks of precise predetermined number and for banding each stack.

The present invention is an improvement over previous mechanisms of this general type particularly in respect to the provision of mechanism for accurately sensing the number of envelopes which are fed into a stack and for thereafter segregating any stack having an incorrect number of envelopes. The invention also provides improved mechanism for feeding a banding tape into association with the envelopes which are arranged in a stack and for thereafter securing the stacks with the band which is placed around the stacks and secured together. Each successive stack which has been banded is moved inwardly on a table and those stacks which have an incorrect number of blanks therein are segregated from the remaining stacks by mechanism which is effective to offset any stack which has an incorrect number of envelopes therein.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved envelope stacking and banding mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide an envelope stacking mechanism including devices for sensing the number of envelopes fed into a stack and for thereafter segregating any stack having an incorrect number of envelopes from the remaining stacks.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved banding mechanism for banding a stack of envelope blanks.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pack pushing mechanism which includes compensation means to insure a straight reciprocal pushing movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope stacking and banding mechanism which is simple to convert to non-banding operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for association with an envelope making machine which includes means for feeding a series of envelopes into a stack and for thereafter moving the stack away into association with a banding mechanism after the stack has been fed a predetermined number of envelopes and including mechanism for thereafter banding the stacks and for segregating any stack having an incorrect number of envelopes from the other stacks of the series.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope stacking and banding mechanism which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope stacking and banding mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 1a is a schematic perspective view showing the sequence of operations performed by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the mechanism indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the band Wrapping mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 with an envelope stack shown in advanced position;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic fragmentary top plan on reduced scale of the final banded envelope stacking table;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic wiring diagram of the envelope sensing and stack offsetting mechanism;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of stacked envelopes with band; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the delivering portion of the invention, illustrating its conversion to by-pass the bander portion of the machine.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodied therein includes an envelope stacking mechanism generally designated A which in the present embodiment is arranged on the delivery end of an envelope making machine and is effective to deliver each envelope which is fed thereto in a series onto a table where they are arranged in a stack to a predetermined number. A conveyor mechanism generally designated B is arranged in timed relationship with the stacking mechanism to convey the envelopes after they have been stacked to a predetermined number into association with a banding mechanism generally designated C.

The envelope forming machine, only a portion of which is indicated in FIG. 1, includes a series of rollers, one of which, 10, is shown to advance envelope blanks 12 into association with three aligned slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18 Where they are delivered into one of a plurality of spirally extending fingers 20 to form slots in the periphery of the wheels. The slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18 are mounted on a shaft 22 which is rotated in precise timed relationship to the mechanism of the envelope forming machine by means of a chain drive 24 driven from a sprocket on the envelope forming machine (not shown) to a dual sprocket 26 of the stacking mechanism A (see FIGS. 1 and 4).

The other portion of the sprocket 26 drives a sprocket 28 afiixed to the outer end of a shaft 30 rotatably mounted between end plates 32 and 34 by means of a chain belt 36. The shaft 30 is provided with a gear 38 which meshes with and rotates a gear 40 affixed to a shaft 42 which is rotatably supported by the end plates 32 and 34. The shaft 30 is also provided with a helical gear 44 which meshes with a helical gear 46 afiixed to a shaft 48 which is supported on depending brackets secured on a plate 51. The opposite end of a shaft 48 is provided with a sprocket 52 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which moves a conveyor chain 54 which extends around an idler sprocket 56. The conveyor chain 54 is provided with an envelope pusher member 58 having a pusher arm 60 which is moved around by the conveyor chain above a table 50. The table 50 has a slot 53 through which the pusher member 58 extends. The timing of the mechanism is such that the pusher arm 60 makes one complete pass to push a stack of envelopes away from the slotted wheels 14, 1.6 and 18 after the wheels have been rotated to present twenty-five envelopes onto the table 50.

The slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18 receive the envelope blanks from the rollers 10 with the bottom sealing flap foremost. The blanks are of necessity decelerated from their preceding rate of travel in spaced-out relationship on rollers 10 as they are directed into overlapped relationship in their respective slots 20 (see FIGS. and 6). Each of the slots 20 follows an inwardly spiralling path underlapping the preceding slot to terminate at a shorter radial distance relative to shaft 22 than the periphery of wheels 14, 16 and 18. In this way, the leading edge of each envelope, due to its shorter radial distance, will have a linear velocity less than the velocity of the wheel periphery, and therefore, will impact table 50 with less force. The lapped relationship of the envelopes upon the stacker wheel relative to their preceding spaced-out series relationship upon rollers also reduces the envelope speed and stacking impact force that would ordinarily occur if each envelope were merely secured to the wheel periphery in nonlapped relationship. After the blanks 12 enter the slots they are carried around by the wheels until the seal flap edge of the blank strikes the table 50. The table 50 is slotted at location 62 to permit rotation of the wheels 14, 16 and 18 therein and interception of the blanks by the table as the wheels are rotated.

As the slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18 rotate past the table 50 they bring the envelope blanks 12 into a vertical position with its seal flap edge downwardly on the table 50. A mechanism is provided to segregate a precise preselected number of envelopes so that this number may be banded at a later station. The mechanism includes two upstanding arms 64, 64 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The arms 64 are mounted at the end of a crank arm 68 which is pivoted at 70 and which is provided with an outstanding follower arm 72 which is biased into contact with a cam 74 by a [spring 66 acting upon arm 64. The cam 74 is afiixed to the shaft 42 and is effective in combination with spring 66 to bring the arm 64 upwardly above the table 50 whenever the slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18 have rotated sutficiently to bring a precise number of envelopes onto the table in a stack. In the present case the arms 64 move upwardly above the table when exactly twenty-five envelopes are delivered to the table 50 by the slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18. In FIG. 5 the arm is indicated below the table in solid line position, and the dotted line indication indicates the position it assumes when it is moved upwardly above the table. When twenty-five envelopes have been fed to the table against a diagonally extending back plate 76 the arms 64 move upwardly between the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth envelopes to segregate a stack of twenty-five. The arms 64 remain in the upright position until several envelopes are fed against the arms whereupon the action of cam 74 upon arm 72 gradually returns the arm 64 to its lowermost position as shown in full lines in FIG. 5. The arms 64 segregate each twenty-five envelopes until the conveyor B moves the previous stack away.

The pusher member is moved by the conveyor at approximately an angle of 8 to the angle of feed of the envelopes by the slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18. The pusher arm 60, therefore, is provided with a face which is sloped 8 in the opposite direction in order to move behind a stack of twenty-five envelopes and move them into association with the banding mechanism C and to square the ends of the stack so that they are properly aligned for handing. The conveyor mechanism is also timed to move the pusher member 58 behind the stack of envelopes after the slotted wheels have been timed to deliver twentyfive envelopes.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a sensing device generally designated 81 which is best indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The sensing device 81 includes a stub shaft 78 rotatably mounted on an upstanding member 80 adajacent the slotted wheel 16. The stub shaft is provided with feeler arms 82 and 84 extending outwardly in opposite directions therefrom. Arm 84 is biased by a spring 85 to the right as seen in FIG. 6 to urge arm 82 to the left. The arm 82 is positioned in the path of the oncoming envelope blanks 12 and is moved back thereby as each blank is fed therepast. If, during the feeding of each series of three envelopes the second envelope is missing, the arm 84 will move to the dot-anddash line position 84c instead of being intercepted at dotted line position 84b by the movement of a blank against the arm 82. If, for some reason or other, no envelope is delivered to a given slot 20 of the slotted wheels 14, 16 and 18, and therefore, the arm 82 is not moved clockwise thereby, the arm 84 will move into position 840 into contact with the button 86 and actuate the control switch 88 (see FIGS. 6 and 10).

When the control switch 88 is closed current may be supplied to a solenoid 90 (FIG. 2) which has a plunger member 92 with an abutment which is moved outwardly into the path of the stack being fed to the banding mecha nism to index this stack to the left and segregate it from the remaining stacks in the series. The solenoid 90 is located at the opposite end of the table 50 adajacent the edge of the position which the stack of envelope blanks assume when they are ready for banding. The end face of the plunger 92 normally forms the abutment against which the outer edge of the envelope stacks are directed by the conveyor pusher member 58. When this end has been displaced outwardly upon acutation of the solenoid, the position of the stack of blanks which is fed thereagainst will be offset from those fed thereagainst when the plunger 92 is retracted.

In order to insure that a signal is not delivered directly to the solenoid when a stack is still being transpored by the conveyor mechanism B into association with the banding mechanism C, there is provided a relay delay system indicated in FIG. 10. This delay system includes a control shaft 94 which is continuously rotated in timed relationship to the cam shaft 42 by means of a sprocket 96 on the cam shaft 42 driving through a chain 98 to sprocket 99 on shaft 94 (FIG. 4). In FIG. 10 the shaft 94 is indicated by the dotted line and it is provided with three sets of spaced cam members 100, 102 and 104. The cam members 100 and 102 have follower contact arms 106 and 108 biased against the periphery thereof at opposite sides thereof (FIG. 10). The cam 104 has a follower contact arm 110 which is biased against one side thereof. The contact arms 106, 108 and 110 are provided to close circuits to relays 112 and 114 to permit actuation of the solenoid 90 from a source of current 116 only after the mechanism has gone through a cycle to present the previous stack of envelopes in association with the banding mechanism C and to complete the banding of the stack and to move it out of the location in alignment with the plunger 92. Segregated stacks 118 and 120 are indicated in FIG. 9.

As the stacks are moved by the conveyor mechanism B away from the slotted wheels they are guided by a diagonal plate 122 and plate members 124 against guide rail 218 into a position for banding (FIG. 2). For this purpose the shaft 42 is provided with a grooved face cam 126 which rotates therewith. A pusher arm mechanism generally designated 128 (FIG. 4) includes a U- shaped pusher 130 which is pressed against the stack of envelopes when the pusher arm mechanism 128 is reciprocated. The pushing mechanism 128 is designed to transmit a pure linear movement to the rearmost envelope of the envelope pack and includes a follower 132, operated by the cam 126, at one end of an L-shaped crank arm 134. A link 136 pivotally connected to the other end of arm 134 transmits reciprocal movement to a second arm 138 whose lower end is pivoted at 140. The upper end of the arm 138 is pivotally attached to a reciprocating member 142 which supports the U pushers 130. Cut within the member 142 is an arcuate control slot 141 which engages a ball bearing follower 143 mounted upon table 50. With this arrangement, during the banding cycle, while the pushers 130 are moved to the right in FIG. 4, the lever 138 will transmit a straight push to elements 130 because the arc of the slot 141 is designed to be opposite, and thereby compensate for, the are followed by the top of arm 138.

The shaft 42 is also provided with a sprocket 144 which drives an upper sprocket 146 through a chain belt 148. The upper sprocket 146 is rotatably supported above a guiding table 152 for the banding tape feeding mechanism. The shaft 150 is provided with a large gear 154 which drives through suitable idler gearing 156 and 157 a feed segment shaft 158. Affixed to the shaft 150 is a feed segment 160. The feed segment 160 cooperates with a similar feed segment 162 affixed to the shaft 158. The are lengths of the segments 160 and 162 may be angularly adjusted by means (not shown) well known in the art so as to vary the length of banding material 164 which is fed thereby from a reel 166 of such material.

The gear 146 also rotates a gear 16-8 which rotates a similar gear 170 aflixed to a shaft 172. The shaft 172 is provided with a roller 174 having a recessed knife blade 176 which cooperates with a stationary knife blade 178 to sever a piece of the banding material once during each cycle of operation.

A glue reservoir 1% is supported by frame members below the path of feed of the banding material 164 and it includes an applicator arm 182 which is rocked on a shaft 184 by means of a pivotal lever arm 186 and associated linkages. The lever arm 186 is pivotally mounted as at 188 and is provided with a cam follower 190 which is biased into contact with a cam 192 aflixed to the shaft 150. The cam 192 has a low spot 194 which moves the lever to the right as indicated in FIG. 4 to bring the arm 182 upwardly with adhesive thereon into contact with the banding material 164 once during each cycle of revolution. The timing is such that the arm 1-82 is moved into contact with the banding material just prior to its being severed by the knife 176. This locates a spot of glue at the upper end of the banding material.

When the envelope stack has reached a position in opposition to the pusher arm mechanism 128 a band 196 of handing material will have been delivered to the position indicated in FIG. la. In such position it extends downwardly on each side of spring biased arms 198 and 200 which extend toward the U-shaped portion 130 of the reciprocal member 142. The outer ends of the arms 198 and 200 are provided with beveled band contouring members 202 and 204, respectively, which have vertical folding surfaces 206 and 208, respectively, which extend inwardly toward the opposite arm.

At this point the member 142 and the pushers 130 are moved toward the stack of envelopes and cause the-m to be moved past two sets of spring biased upper and lower swinging gate or stop members 193 and 195 and pressed against the band 196, and then inwardly between the arms 198 and 200 (FIG. 4). Since the arms 1'98 and 200 are resilient they spring outwardly somewhat as the envelopes clear the beveled portions 202 and 204 to create the upper and lower folds about the leading surface of the pack. Upon continued forward motion of the pack, past the surfaces 206 and 208, the band 196 is directed downwardly around the rear corners of the stack of envelopes as indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8. It should be appreciated that banding material is fed to a length so that it is positioned as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4 with the bottom edge extending downwardly below the table 50 a slight amount. When the pusher arm pushes the stack backwardly far enough, the arms 198 and 200 come together slightly as the portions 206 and 208 clear the inner edge of the stack. This eifects first upward folding of the short flap 210 ahead of the long flap 212 due to the shorter radius of travel which the short flap will have to travel when deflected by the members 202 and 204. As indicated in FIG. 7, in this position the short flap 210 is behind the long flap 212 and the gum 216 lies below the edge of the short flap. The stack of envelope blanks remains in this position until the next stack is fed in the same manner as the previous stack and pressed against the previous stack to cause the long flap 212 to be tightly pressed against the short flap 210 and effect sealing of each of the flaps together (FIG. 8). The table 50 is pro vided with suitable guide rails 218 to permit feeding of a series of banded stacks into bundles as indicated in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. 12, the invention is shown in a modified form when direct delivery of unbanded envelopes is desired. In this form, the slot 53 which normally allows passage of the pusher 60 is covered with an elongated plate 53a which is aligned flush with the table 50. To effect this conversion, the stop plate 76 need only be removed and the drive of conveyor B disengaged in any conventional manner.

Thus, the invention provides a machine for feeding a series of envelopes into stacked relationship and then for transferring the stacked envelopes after a predetermined number of envelopes have been fed into the stack into association with means for banding each of the stacks. The device includes means for sensing when the stacks have not been fed a full complement of envelopes and for offsetting the stack in the line of banded stacks so that an operator may readily determine which stack does not have the correct number of envelopes.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An envelope delivery mechanism comprising a slotted wheel having a plurality of overlapping slots extending spirally inwardly from the outer periphery toward the center thereof, means for directing spaced out envelopes one at a time into an associated slot to thereby partially decelerate each envelope prior to its subsequent stacking, means for rotating said slotted wheel at a peripheral speed less than the linear speed of the envelopes prior to their insertion into said slots, a table adjacent said slotted wheel arranged to intercept envelopes from said wheel as said wheel is rotated whereby to stack said envelopes upon an edge thereof, and means connected to said table means to separate a stack of envelopes which have been fed by said slotted wheel onto said table from the following envelopes after a predetermined number of envelopes have been fed.

2. An envelope delivery mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means for separating a stack of envelopes of predetermined number includes an arm reciprocable above and below said table and cam means connected to said slotted wheel rotating means to present said arm above said table in alignment with said envelope blanks after a predetermined number of blanks have been fed as determined by the timing of the rotation of said slotted wheel.

3. A stacking and banding mechanism for rectangular envelopes comprising a substantially horizontal table, means for feeding a series of envelopes into a stack upon said table thereby aligning the horizontal edges of the envelopes in said stack, means operating in timed relationship to said envelope feeding means for conveying said stack laterally away from said feeding means after a predetermined number of envelope blanks have been fed into a stack, said conveying means including pusher means for abutting a vertical edge of the envelopes in the stack thereby advancing the envelopes in the stack edgewise on the table in the direction of their horizontal edges and aligning the vertical edges of the envelopes in said stack, and means for banding each of said stacks after the envelopes therein have been transferred and aligned by said conveyor means.

4. A combination stacking and banding mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said banding means includes means for feeding a length of banding tape across the width of said envelope whereby said tape extends beyond the marginal edges of said envelope, a pair of spaced resilient arms on the opposite side of said banding material from said envelope stack, and means for pushing said envelopes between said resilient arms whereby said banding material is wrapped around said envelope stack.

5. A combination stacking and handing mechanism according to claim 4, including means to apply adhesive to an end of said banding material, said end being arranged to be folded over said envelope stack to overlie the opposite end.

6. A combination stacking and banding mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said banding material is fed substantially vertical to extend below the bottom edge of said envelopes a distance somewhat less than the amount of banding material extending above said stack of envelopes, whereby when said bottom arm is folded by said resilient members it travels through a shorter folding arm and hence underlies the top end of said banding material.

7. A combination stacking and handing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said resilient arms include a bevelled member having a substantially vertical back portion, whereby said bevelled portion is deflected upwardly by said stacks and wherein said substantially vertical portion falls over the front face of said stack to fold the banding material therearound as said stack is moved inwardly between said arms.

8. Apparatus for banding envelopes including a banding station, means for feeding a stack of envelopes to said banding station, means operating in timed relationship to said envelope stack feeding mechanism to feed a length of banding material vertically downwardly behind said stack of envelopes whereby portions of said banding material extend above and below said envelopes for substantial, yet dissimilar linear lengths, a pair of spaced resilient members biased inwardly to a dimension less than the height of the envelope stack on the opposite side of said banding material from said envelopes, each of said resilient members including bevelled inwardly directed portions having straight trailing edges in substantial vertical alignment with one another, and reciprocable pusher means operatively connected to said banding material feeding means arranged to reciprocate inwardly toward said envelopes to push said envelopes against said banding material between and past said resilient members whereby said projecting portions are first urged outwardly as said envelopes are advanced therebetween to create the leading edge folds and then released around the opposite edge of said envelopes whereby the straight trailing edges of said projecting portions fold said banding material over the rear edges of said stack of envelopes, said pusher means including a reciprocating pusher rod, a rocker arm pivotally connected to said pusher rod, a first roller follower operatively connected to said rocker arm, a first cam in operative contact with said roller follower, said first cam being effective to reciprocate said pusher when said envelope blanks have arrived at said banding station and said length of banding material has been fed to extend across said resilient members, and compensation means connected to said pusher rod to maintain its reciprocal motion in a straight linear path.

9. An envelope stacking mechanism comprising a horizontal table, a stationary abutment on said table, means for feeding envelopes in succession onto said table in an upright position against said stationary abutment, means for conveying said envelopes to a stack orienting station, connected to said means for feeding said envelopes whereby to convey a stack of envelopes from said table after a predetermined number has been fed, means for sensing the number of envelopes which has been fed into a stack, and means responsive to said sensing means to offset any stack having an incorrect number of envelopes after they have been positioned at said stack orientation station.

10. A stacking mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said sensing means includes timing means to permit the previous stack of blanks to be fed to said stack orientation station before actuating said stack offsetting means.

11. A stacking mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said sensing means includes a rotatable shaft adjacent said envelopes feeding means, a finger extending outwardly from said shaft to position adjacent said table to intercept each envelope as it is fed into a stack, a second finger extending outwardly from the oposite side of said shaft, electrical circuit means including a contact button adjacent said second finger, said second finger being movable against said contact button whenever an envelope does not defiect the opposite finger, and means responsive to the close of said contact button to offset a stackof enveolpe blanks which are fed by said conveyor means.

12. A stacking mechanism according to claim 11, wherein said means for offsetting said stack includes time delay means to permit the previously completed stack to be moved without being offset.

13. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said compensation means includes a second cam portion upon said pusher rod and a second roller follower in operative contact therewith.

14. A delivery mechanism for a high speed envelope making machine, wherein envelopes are travelling in spaced-out series relation at a high initial rate of forward speed, comprising at least two spaced wheel means rotationally mounted to receive envelopes from said machine, said wheel means having a plurality of overlapping slots spiralling inwardly from the periphery thereof in the direction of travel of said envelopes and toward the axis of rotation of said wheel means, means to rotate said wheel means at a peripheral speed less than the linear speed of the envelopes travelling in spaced-out series relation, each of said slots acting to decelerate an individual envelope spaced therein from its high initial rate of forward speed and to lap each envelope under the envelope in the preceding slot, table means having a portion extending inwardly of the periphery of said wheel means to intercept the leading edges of each of said envelopes carried in said slots, thereby ejecting each of said envelopes from said slots and collecting the successively ejected envelopes in stacked on-edge registry with a face side of one envelope facing the rear side of an adjacent previously-deposited envelope, and conveyor means to periodically transfer groups of predetermined number of envelopes stacked upon said table means in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of envelope travel upon said wheel means to thereby group the continuous stream of envelopes coming from said machine into a plurality of packs of envelopes of predetermined number.

15. A stacking and delivery mechanism for envelopes emerging in spaced-out series relationship from an envelope folding machine at a high initial rate of forward speed comprising slotted carrier wheel means rotationally mounted adjacent the delivery end of the envelope folding machine for receiving envelopes therefrom, said wheel means being rotated at a slower peripheral speed than the initial rate of travel of the spaced envelopes being forwarded to it by the envelope folding machine, said wheel means including; a plurality of curved overlapping spiral slots extending radially inward from the periphery of said wheel means, each of said spiral slots acting to decelerate an individual envelope placed therein and to lap each envelope under the envelope in the preceding slot and to deflect the leading edge of each envelope inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said wheel means and acting to radially separate each envelope upon said wheel means from the preceding and following envelopes, mechanical finger means mounted adjacent said wheel means for normally contacting the leading edge of each envelope as it is being carried by said wheel means and for sensing the absence of envelopes missing from their respective slots, and table means having a portion extending inwardly of the periphery of said wheel means for intercepting the leading edge of each envelope thereby ejecting said envelopes from said slots into stacked on edge registry upon said table means.

16. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 15, wherein said table means includes conveyor means having an arm portion for contacting the vertical edges of the stacked envelopes to periodically transfer groups of predetermined number of envelopes stacked thereon horizontally in a direction substantially parallel to the lengthwise direction of their supporting edges and substantially transverse to the direction of envelope travel upon said wheel means and table means, to thereby group the continuous stream of envelopes coming from said machine into a plurality of edge aligned packs of envelopes of predetermined number.

17. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 16 including stop means associated with said conveyor means for limiting the transverse travel of each envelope group advanced thereby and pusher means to periodically operate to advance each group of envelopes from the end of said conveyor means in a direction substantially parallel to the original direction of envelope travel upon said wheel means and table means.

18. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 17 wherein each of said groups of envelopes is advanced uninterruptedly by said pusher means through a banding means.

19. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 18 wherein said banding means includes a pair of spaced resilient arms on opposite sides of the path along which said envelope groups are advanced, and means for feeding a length of banding web downwardly across the path of each envelope group in advance of said resilient arms whereby the said web extends beyond the marginal upper and lower edges of each group prior to advance of each group therebetween by said pusher means.

20. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 19 including means to apply adhesive to an end of said web, said end being arranged to be folded around said envelope group by one of said resilient arms to overlie and adhere to the other end of said web folded about said envelope group by said other resilient arm.

21. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 20 wherein each of said resilient arms includes an inclined portion extending into the path of said envelope groups in their direction of travel and a substantially vertical back portion, whereby each inclined portion is deflected outwardly by the advance of said envelope groups therebetween and whereby said substantially vertical back portion is effective to fold said web about the trailing upper and lower edges of said envelope groups to hold said newly banded group of envelopes in compression against the previously banded groups.

22. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 21; wherein said means for transferring envelope groups of predetermined number as the envelopes are deposited by said wheel means upon said table means includes, an arm reciprocable above and below said table means, and cam means to present said arm above said table in alignment with said envelopes after a predetermined number of envelopes have been fed as determined by the timing of the rotation of said wheel means.

23. A stacking and delivery mechanism according to claim 21 including means to offset the transverse portion of banded groups of envelopes lacking one or more envelopes as determined by said mechanical finger means.

24. An envelope banding mechanism comprising, means for advancing a stack of envelopes to a banding station, a pair of spaced resilient members at said banding station, means for feeding a length of banding material across said spaced resilient members to extend on each side thereof; said band feeding mechanism including; a continuous reel of banding material, means for guiding said material to said banding station and across said spaced resilient members to extend on each side thereof, and a pair of cooperative rotatable feed segments arranged along the path of said banding material to rotate in contact therewith for advancing said material a predetermined amount, at least one of said segments being angdilarly adjustably whereby to vary the amount of banding material which is fed, means operative in timed relationship with said feed segment to cut said banding material as it is being fed, and adhesive applying means operatively connected to said feed segments and including a member movable into association with said banding material to apply adhesive in timed relationship to the feeding thereof; pusher means for moving said envelopes into contact with said banding material and between said resilient members, said resilient members including means to deflect said banding material around the edges of said stack and down across the trailing face thereof as it is advanced by said pusher means.

25. A method of banding rectangular envelopes comprising feeding the envelopes along a first path one by one to an accumulation station and aligning opposite edges thereof and forming a stack, moving the accumulated stack endwise, laterally of said first path through a second path substantially perpendicular to said first path, directing a length of banding material across one side of the stack with portions of the band material extending above and below the stack, and thereafter, moving the stack broadside along a third path substantially parallel to said first path against the banding material while restraining the top and bottom portions of the banding material to conform to the respective adjacent edges of the stack, continuing to push the stack along the third path and directing the banding material across the opposite side of the pack.

26. A method for handing a stack of envelopes com prising, feeding envelopes from an envelope delivery station along a first path in spaced relationship, accumulating said envelopes with their edges contacting an aligned surface, moving the accumulated stack endwise, laterally of and through a substantially right angular path to said first path to a banding station, continuing movement of said stack, broadside first, through said banding station.

27. A method for banding a stack of envelopes comprising feeding envelopes from an envelope delivery station along a first path in spaced relationship with the seal flaps leading, accumulating said envelopes with their seal flap fold edges contacting an aligning surface, moving the accumulated stack endwise along a second path 1 1 1 2 extending at right angles to said first path to a banding 2,842,035 7/1958 Larkin 53-l98 X station and then, through the banding station along a 2,917,884 12/1959 Winkler et al 53198 third path extending substantially parallel to said first 2,982,063 5/1961 Coleman et a1 53-l98X path, continuing movement of said pack through said 3,000,151 9/1961 Winkler et a1. 533 banding station broadside with the seal flap edges on the 5 3,350,834 11/1967 Heywood et a1. 533 bottom thereof along a path substantially parallel to but displaced from said first path. TRAVIS S. McGEI-IEE, Rrimary Examiner.

References Cited N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 US. Cl. X.R.

2,421,874 6/1947 Fouse 214-7X 5326, 53, 159, 198; 9393; 2147; 271-71 

